Survey: Americans are way off when estimating activity levels

Americans aren’t so great at judging how active we are, suggests a survey conducted by Energizer.

Participants in the Energizer Reality Check Survey estimated how many steps they take in an average day and then measured their actual steps for a week using a pedometer.

Forty-two percent took fewer steps than they thought. Many overestimated by as much as 4,000 steps or more. And “even those who were conservative about their estimates — the 58% that actually took more steps that they guessed — were way off,” according to a press release.

Fitness guru and Energizer spokeswoman Denise Austin said in the release, “When we rush around in our daily lives, it’s easy to think we are more active than we really are or not pay attention at all. Understanding your activity level and incorporating walking and running are great ways to burn more calories and improve your cardiovascular health.”

A survey of 1,000 American adults showed that 90 percent wished they could exercise more. Out of them, 60 percent would like to walk to increase their activity level. Thirty-two percent would add gym visits.

Thirty-one percent believe there is at least one hour every day when they don’t take a single step.

Austin recommends that people with sedentary jobs get up and move at least every 30 minutes, take quick walks during breaks and stand up while they talk on the phone. Any fidgeting and moving around burns some calories, she says.